# US 7,611,850 B2 · Ion channel assay methods

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,611,850 B2
- Document ID: US7611850B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/444,214
- Filed: 2006-05-31
- Published: 2006-12-14
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2000-07-10
- Assignees: Vertex Pharmaceuticals (San Diego) LLC
- Inventors: Michael P. Maher; Jesus E. Gonzalez, III
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611850B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/5038: {involving detection of metabolites per se}
- G01N 33/48728: {Investigating individual cells, e.g. by patch clamp, voltage clamp (investigating individual particles in general G01N15/10)}
- G01N 33/5008: {for testing or evaluating the effect of chemical or biological compounds, e.g. drugs, cosmetics}
- G01N 33/5076: {involving cell organelles, e.g. Golgi complex, endoplasmic reticulum}
- G01N 33/5088: {of vertebrates}
- G01N 33/542: with steric inhibition or signal modification, e.g. fluorescent quenching
- G01N 33/6872: {Intracellular protein regulatory factors and their receptors, e.g. including ion channels}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A method of characterizing the biological activity of a candidate compound may include exposing cells to the candidate compound, and then exposing the cells to a repetitive application of electric fields so as to set the transmembrane potential to a level corresponding to a pre-selected voltage dependent state of a target ion channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of screening a plurality of drug candidate compounds against a target ion channel comprising:
expressing said target ion channel in a population of host cells;
placing a plurality of said host cells into each of a plurality of sample wells;
adding a candidate drug compound to at least one of said plurality of sample wells; and
modulating the transmembrane potential of host cells in said plurality of sample wells with a repetitive application of electric fields produced with extracellular electrodes so as to set said transmembrane potential to a level corresponding to a pre-selected voltage dependent state of said target ion channel, wherein said electric fields cause an ion channel of interest to open.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, additionally comprising selecting a host cell line having a normal resting transmembrane potential corresponding to a second pre-selected voltage dependent state of said target ion channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said electric fields are biphasic.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein electric fields cause an ion channel of interest to cycle between different voltage dependent states.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said electric fields cause an ion channel of interest to be released from inactivation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more cells comprise a voltage sensor selected from the group consisting of a FRET based voltage sensor, an electrochromic transmembrane potential dye, a transmembrane potential redistribution dye, an ion sensitive fluorescent or luminescent molecule and a radioactive ion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said target ion channel is selected from the group consisting of a potassium channel, a calcium channel, a chloride channel and a sodium channel.